Featured in National Geographic Traveller's '50 greatest places of a lifetime' under the 'Urban Space' category, Cochin (Kochi) has carved an impressive niche for itself. It is the first European colonial settlement in India and is also known as the Gateway to Kerala.

Surrounded by the Western Ghats and the Arabian sea, Kochi or Cochin (Kochi) was formed as an ancient port city after the Great Floods of the Periyar River. Historically rich in culture, the city has witnessed settlements ranging from the Portuguese to the Chinese. Besides being a fast developing commercial and industrial hub, the city also possesses an undeniable vigour. A perfect starting point before exploring the vast diversity of Kerala.

Before you start exploring, pick up a map of Kochi and the Ernakulam–Fort Kochi pamphlet from a KTDC office. The latter has a walking tour map of Fort Kochi and island cruise schedules. Fort Kochi has preserved its history well and presents a vivid panorama of a time when traders and warriors landed on her shores. All the places in the fort area are close to each other, on the seafront. The Portuguese traveller and merchant, Pedro Alvarez Cabral, dropped anchor at Kochi in 1500, accompanied by Franciscan and Dominican friars and Jesuit missionaries. Vasco da Gama followed in 1502. He died in 1524 and was interred in St Francis’ Church, the oldest European church in India.

Conflicting claims assign the church variously to St Francis of Assisi and to St Francis Xavier, who visited Kochi in 1542. Now under the Church of South

India, it shelters the grave of Vasco da Gama. His remains, though, were exhumed and removed to Lisbon. Look for the 16th-century palm leaf deeds of

the Thampuran, granting Portuguese nadhuvazhi (middle-rung feudal lords) status and rights, and the Doop Book, a register of baptisms and marriages. As you emerge from the church, to the left is the Parade Ground, where European soldiers conducted drills. Past the ground and down the road is the Dutch Cemetery, where the first grave was laid in 1724.

The tombstones here, located on the shores of the Arabian Sea, provide glimpses of Kochi’s Dutch past. A little beyond the cemetery is the only surviving fortification of the Portuguese — Fort Immanuel, around which the town once grew. The British dynamited the fort in 1806. Kochi is filled with colonial-style houses,

charming despite their age and groaning staircases. One mansion to gape at is the Thakur House, a private property made famous as the home of the protagonists of producer Ismail Merchant’s film Cotton Mary. Built by the Dutch as a club, the house — once known as Kunal Bungalow — overlooks the sea and is said to have underground passages.

Returning to the Parade Ground, on your left is a derelict bungalow built in 1695 by the Dutch East India Company. Known as David Hall, its most famous

occupant was Hendrik Adrian van Rheede, the Dutch Governor of Kochi from 1673 to 1677. He wrote the Hortus Malabaricus, a book on the flora of

Malabar. David Koder, a Jewish businessman, later bought the house, lending it its present name. Look out for the difference between the doorjambs

made in Kerala and Dutch styles and the red and blue floor tiles. You can walk in here anytime. Be warned that it’s in a shambles. Bastion House is a little further down the road.

Built in 1667 to guard the harbour, it commands a panoramic view of the sea. Believed to have tunnels, it is now the sub-collector’s residence. It stands on the old fort’s Stomberg Bastion, which once supported cannons. Malabar House, at the corner of the crescent to your right, has a Dutch colonial façade worth admiring. It was the residence of the Grindlays Bank manager during the British era. The building has been converted into a heritage hotel. From here, turn right and come to

the waterfront on Pathalam Road. At the corner of Elphinstone Road is the Bishop’s House.

Built in 1506, the Dutch Governor Van Goens occupied it in 1663. The Diocese of Kochi eventually acquired it for Bishop Dom Jos Ferriera, whose control extended over Sri Lanka, Burma and Malay. Within its premises is the Indo-Portuguese Museum. The Dutch force, considerably smaller than the Portuguese, found it impossible to service the fort and reduced it to a third, taking care, however, to retain the main buildings. VOC, the emblem of the Dutch East

India Company, is carved on a large wooden gate called the VOC Gate, built in 1740. The gate, on the far crescent of the Parade Ground, watches over the entrance to Studer Hall, which once housed Dutch offices.

Walk past the VOC Gate and venture behind St Francis’ Church. Diagonally opposite to the right, you’ll see Vasco House, one of the oldest surviving Portuguese bungalows, believed to have been the home of Vasco da Gama. If you look from the road, the typical Portuguese staircase will be evident through the windows

and balconies. On the right side of Bastion Street stands Santa Cruz Basilica. Built as a church by the Portuguese, Pope Paul IV elevated it to a cathedral in 1558. The British demolished it in 1795 when they seized Fort Kochi. In 1887, a new church was built on the vacant site.

Beautiful paintings on the ceiling recall the Sistine Chapel. In 1984, Pope John Paul II proclaimed it a basilica. Backtrack and take the first right turn. Turn right again and you come to Delta Study, built in 1808, once the property of the Swiss Volkart Company. Turn and head towards the lagoon. On the left you’ll find a house with a red façade, inconspicuously tucked away. The red house was a Portuguese mansion bought by Samuel Koder, the ancestor of several old Jewish families of Kochi. It was constructed in 1808 and exemplifies the way various European architectural designs were assimilated to create a style truly unique to Kochi.

Walk down Rose Lane to get an idea of its architecture. A wooden bridge spanning the lane connects two sections of the house. You’ll also see the Old Courtyard, once a part of Koder House, now a heritage hotel. Next to it is the Old Harbour House. Built over the ruins of a Portuguese hospice in 1808, Old Harbour House was once a bungalow owned by Carrit Moran (a tea brokerage company). It too is now a heritage hotel. The only proof of Chinese influence in Kerala is the huge cantilevered cheenavalas or Chinese fishing nets, hung from teakwood and bamboo poles.

These can be seen off Vasco da Gama Square. It was Kublai Khan’s traders who introduced these nets to the local fisherfolk sometime between 1350 and

tourist-friendly and will happily let you join them. Stalls serve delicious seafood and tender coconuts.” Standing between a synagogue and a church, the Calvathy Jamaath Mosque on Calvathy Road blends effortlessly with the landscape.

Built by Arab traders, it favours the Kerala style of architecture and it’s worth going there for the view from the outside. Visitors are not welcome inside. Another must-see is the Mattancherry Palace (1555), gifted by the Portuguese to the Thamburan as a gesture to make up for their governor looting the Pallurithi Temple in 1542. The palace was later renovated in the Burgher style. Visit it for the intricate and beautiful murals that adorn the walls. The themes have been picked up from the epics and the murals have been executed in vegetable and mineral dyes. The temple of the tutelary devi of the Kochi rajas stands in the courtyard. The Jews, who arrived as traders during Solomon’s reign, preserved their uniqueness, unlike the Arabs who adopted Indian traditions or the Chinese who left these shores.

Only a few Jews remain in Kochi today, but an enduring motif of their contribution is the Pardesi Synagogue. Built in 1567, it was partially destroyed in 1664 when

the Portuguese ransacked Jew Town. The Dutch rebuilt the synagogue. Its Belgian chandeliers reflect the unique flooring, consisting of hand-painted

Cantonese willow pattern tiles, a memorial to the Chinese-Jewish trade. No two floor tiles have the same design. The Old Testament scrolls are believed

to be the oldest in the world, as are the stone tablets with the Laws of Moses and Hebrew inscriptions. There are copper plates executed by the Thamburan of Kochi (1565-1601), bestowing land, rights and other powers equivalent to that of naduvazhis to Jews.

Note the inside balcony where women pray separately, as dictated by Jewish customs. The clock tower is currently being renovated. Three clock faces, one in Hebrew, another in Malayalam and the third with Roman numerals, have been uncovered. It is believed that the fourth, now covered with bricks, was in Arabic. The Pepper Exchange is close to the synagogue. If you are in the area around 5 pm, visit the Kerala Kathakali Centre on River Road to watch a Kathakali performance. The last trespassers of this land, the British, have also left their mark in the city, as can be seen in the old offices and warehouses at Willingdon Island.

The Southern Naval Command continues to be a trading centre and port, along with the Cochin (Kochi) Shipyard situated across the water in Ernakulam. Cross the bridge from Willingdon Island to Ernakulam on the eastern shore of the Vembanad Kaayal and it’s another world altogether. This is the commercial face of Kochi. The Cochin (Kochi) Shipyard falls on the way. The day begins here with trade union clamour, either fiery speeches or sloganeering, thoughtfully scheduled before working hours. Home to the Kochi royalty, Tripunithara is a maze of palaces and temples.

Keeping with the royalty’s simple lifestyle, the palaces are modest buildings. In 1865, the royal family shifted to Hill Palace, from where the view across the Arabian Sea is spectacular. The palace is defined by a blend of Keralite and colonial styles. It has been turned into a museum. Tripunithara is 13 km (45 mins)

from Ernakulam Town and can be reached either by bus or taxi. Autorickshaws are another option but bargain and fix the rate in advance. In the heart of Tripunithara is the Poornathrayeesa Temple, dedicated to Santhana Gopala, a favourite with those praying for children. The 800-year-old shrine was the last major temple built by Cheraman Perumal.

He ruled over Kerala before dividing his kingdom between his nephews, sons and feudal lords. The nephews, who inherited this area, made it their capital and to date it remains the home of the Kochi Thamburans. Chottanikara, famous all over the South, is dedicated to Bhagavati, the great exorcist. It’s about 3 km from the

Hill Palace. The melkava, the larger temple, is executed in the early Kerala style and has no gopurams.

With fresh catch close at hand at the Chinese fishing nets, many travellers wonder where they can have their own spoils cooked in a way that they like. The search is not too difficult. You can take fresh catch to the shanties, near the Chinese fishing nets at the edge of the Princess Street. The place is rough around the edges, but the food is cheap and the service quick. A number small makeshift restaurants line the street with a no-frills ambience. Plastic chairs are snugly fit to make space for more tables, which you might have to share with an already well-fed neighbourhood cat.

There are numerous things to see and experience in Cochin, provided you have the right information. With a host of exciting things to do in Cochin, travelers can thoroughly enjoy the experience of exploring this destination. If you are travelling for the first time, the Cochin travel guide may help resolve most of your queries about Cochin. In fact, it is like a veritable information packed handbook on Cochin tourism. All you need is a list of options on topics such as where to stay, what to eat, weather in Cochin and places to visit in Cochin and you can be guaranteed an awesome trip to Cochin.